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Nintendo Switch Demand Remains High in Japan, As Thousands Queue for Raffles

When the Nintendo Switch launched there was understandable relief at its positive reception, with plenty of hype ensuring that demand outstripped supply. Though Nintendo has frequently made noises about ramping up production it’s taking some time, and there still aren’t enough systems to go around.

A case in point is the Japanese market. Though the weekly chart results consistently show the Switch holding steady at the top of the hardware results with decent numbers of a little under 30,000 units, it could evidently do a lot better. Kotaku has posted another summary of the popularity of the system that highlights this. Typically stores are getting 200-300 units in at a time, and then 2000+ people often queue to enter a raffle to claim a system. It’s an interesting part of shopping culture in the country that people queue for hours for a mere chance to buy the hardware.

Add in conditions that are often humid, and the lines are apparently referred to often as “jigoku” (地獄) or “hell” in social media.